Instantaneous hot-water heater.



1. O. SCHULTE. INSTANTANEOUS' HOT WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3,1914.

Patented. May 11, 1915.

i QEWCZE HIHIW IHL NuRRIS PETERS ca, PHOTOLITHOH WASHINGTON, D. c.

JOHN OTTO SCHULTE, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

INSTANTANEOUS HOT-WATER HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915..

Application filed December 3, 1914. Serial No. 875,392.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN OTTO SoI-IULTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Instantaneous Hot-Tater Heater, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in hot water heaters of the type wherein the water is conducted from a suitable source of supply into a lower water chamber or header, and thence conducted through a group or bank of spaced water tubes to an upper water chamber or header, from which the water is carried to a point of discharge, a gas burner being located relative to the group or bank of water tubes in such manner that the water as it passes from the lower chamber to the upper chamber is rapidly heated.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to provide a heater of this type wherein each individual tube of the group or bank of spaced water tubes is subjected throughout substantially its entire length to the direct and constant action of the flames and heat from the burner so that the water, entering the lower water chamber from the source of supply in a comparatively cold state is quickly and thoroughly heated in its passage to the upper chamber so that when. drawn from the latter it is sufliciently hot for ordinary purposes.

Still a further object of my invention is the provision of a heater of this class wherein the heating of the water is accomplished with a minimum consumption of gas, so that a considerable saving is attained in the use of the heater over devices ordinarily employed for this purpose.

It is also my purpose to provide a heater wherein the use of coils, bends, and other irregularities in the water tubes is avoided, and wherein the headers or chambers are formed in sections, readily detachable so that when desired the tubes may be easily, thoroughly and conveniently cleaned.

Furthermore, I propose to provide a heater which will embody the desired features of simplicity, efficiency and convenience, and which may be manufactured, marketed and operated at a comparatively low cost.

With the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 1s a view in side elevation of a water heater embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a hori zontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation taken through the upper portion of the heater. Fig. 4 is a top plan view. Fig. 5 is a View in side elevation of a modified form of lower water chamber or header, in this case the water being admitted to the chamber or header through the bottom section thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the letter K indicates the upper horizontally disposed water chamber or header as an entirety, while the letter K similarly indicates the lower horizontally disposed water chamber or header. The chamber K, which is preferably substantially circular in shape, includes an upper section F and a lower section B, these two sections being provided with radially extending cars we through which are passed suitable bolts m for uniting the two sections. The lower water chamber K is annular in form, and includes an upper section C and a lower section E, each section having radial ears m through which are passed the bolts m so that the two sections of the lower chamber are united.

The lower section B of the upper water chamber and the upper section C of the lower water chamber are connected through the medium of the bank or group of spaced, vertically disposed tubes A, which are preferably composed of copper, and are arranged in a circle. The upper ends of the tubes A are fastened to the section B of the upper water chamber in any suitable manner, such for instance as by being threaded therein, while the lower ends of these tubes are likewise fastened to the upper section C of the lower water chamber K. Each tube A, as shown in Fig. 1, is preferably made up of two sections, these sections being united at approximately the central horizontal line of the heater through the medium of suitable unions or couplings J. These unions are preferably arranged in staggered relation, that is to say, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 1, all of the unions are not disposed in horizontal alinement, so that when the tubes are assembled, these unions will not abut or strike one against the other, and

consequently the tubes may be arranged relatively close together. The upper chamber K is provided with a vent or passage L, for the passage of fumes and products of combustion from the heater, as will be readily understood, and when the two sections of this upper chamber K are placed to-' gether, the walls of the vent L form a watertight passageway around such vent, so that the water may readily circulate. The lower chamber K is provided with a water inlet D through which water passes from a suitable; source ofsupply into this lower ringlike chamber, and in Fig. 1 I have shown this inlet D, as leading. into the chamber through the side wall thereof, while in the modification. shown in Fig. 5, the water inlet shown. at D communicates with the interi-or ofthe chamber through the bottom of the lower section E of such chamber.

The upper Water chamber K is provided with a water outlet G, through which the hot water is conducted to a suitable point of discharge. The letter Q indicates a gas inlet or supply pipe, which is adapted to be 7 attached to any suitable source of gas sup ply, and is connected to the lower 'end of the burner pipe H. This pipe H passes vertically upward through the center of the heater and is, of course, surrounded by the circular bank or group of water tubes A, and the free upper end of this burner pipe which terminates just below the upper water chamberK, is closed by a cap it. At its lower end portion this burner pipe H is preferably supported and braced by a spider frame P. Communicating with and extending radially from the burner pipe, are small branch pipes I, the free end portionsof each branch pipe being curved or bent in an arc of about ninety degrees. Ofcourse, the free curved ends of these branch pipes constitute gas jets or nozzles, and these branch pipes are made sufliciently long'so that the flames resulting from the ignited gas at the nozzles wi-llbe brought into direct and intimate contact with the pipes. In this connection, I wish to directp'articular attention to one important advantage resulting from my arrangement of burner in connection with the water tubes,as' shown herein. By reference ofFig. 2, it. will be seen. thatthe branch pipes I of the burner are 'so arranged relative to. the water tubes that the flame supplied from one" branch pipe of the burner will: strike the adjacent si'de portions of two or more of'the water tubes, and in actual practice, I have found the whirling motion and" partly circular: direction imparted to the; flames; by the peculiar shape of the gas nozzles will cause the flames from two adjacent nozzles. toiimpinge againstfthe same watertube, so'that each tube of the burner is subjected to; the heating. action of at least two of the burner nozzles. Now, it will be noted that I have provided a relatively large number of these branch pipes or gas nozzles, in thatthe main burner pipe H is provided throughout its length with such nozzles, with the result that the group of water tubes throughout substantially the entire length is subjected to the direct intimate action of the flames. Consequently the water I passing through the pipes is subjected to intense, constant heat, and is, therefore, rapidly and quickly heated so that when drawn from the upper water chamber K, it is suffi jected to the heating action of these products for a relatively long time.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and manner of employing my invention will be readily apparent.-

It will, of course, be understood that both the water inlet and the gas inlet areprovided with valves, as is usual in devices of this character, and that likewise the discharge outlet from the top chamber maybe provided; with a valve. I may also provide a small pilot light adjacent the lower end of the burner, as is usual in heaters of this type, but as this pilot light is well known in the art for this purpose, it is not shown herein. The Water admitted through the inlet D passes into the lower ringelike chamber K, and the body of water is then di I vided and passes up through the vertical bank of Water tubes A to the upper chamber K, the water in its passage through these pipes being thoroughly and rapidly heated by the burning gases discharged through the curved nozzles or branch pipes I of the burner, as heretofore described. 7

When it is desired to use the hot water, it is, of course, drawn off through the outlet G.

It will further be understood that the heater shown in Fig. 1 is adapted to be inclosed in a suitable casing, but as this is well understood in this art, such casing is, not herein shown.

While I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to all the precise details of construction, herein set forth by way of illustration, as modification and variation maybe made without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a water heater, the combination of two water chambers, a water inlet for one of said water chambers, and a water out:

let for the other water chamber, a group of spaced Water tubes communicating with and connecting the two Water chambers, a burner pipe surrounded by the group of tubes and extending substantially the entire distance between the two Water chambers, a series of pipes communicating with and eX- tending laterally from the burner pipe, the free ends of said branch pipes terminating adjacent the Water tubes and constituting nozzles adapted to discharge burning gases against the water tubes, and a gas inlet for the burner pipe.

2. In a water heater of the class described, the combination with a lower water chamber having a water inlet, an upper water chamber having a water outlet, a group of spaced vertically disposed water tubes connecting the two chambers and providing water passages between the same, a vertically disposed burner pipe extending between the two water chambers and surrounded by the group of water tubes, said burner pipe having a gas inlet at its lower end and a series of relatively small branch pipes extending horizontally from the burner pipe and having their free ends curved and terminating adjacent the water tubes, said curved ends constituting nozzles adapted to discharge the burning gases against the adjacent Water tubes.

JOHN OTTO SGHULTE.

Witnesses:

A. M. PARKINs, M. E. TnPPET'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

